Early Seventies Mets Prospect: Brock Pemberton (1974-1975)

Brock Pemberton was born on November 6th, 1953, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He attended high school in Huntington Beach California, becoming a star baseball player there.

The six-foot three switch hitting first baseman was drafted by the New York Mets in the 6th round of the 1972 draft at age 18. In 1972 he began his career in the rookie league, moving up to A ball Pompano Beach in 1973 where he batted .266. 

In 1974 he moved up to the AA Texas League Victoria Toro's. There he made the All-Star team batting .322 & hitting 37 doubles & 89 RBIs. 

The Mets were impressed bringing Brock up as a September call up to the fifth-place team that could not defend their NL Pennant title.

Mets Debut: Pemberton made his MLB debut on September 10th, 1974, as a pinch hitter in a 6-3 loss to the Montreal Expos. He struck out facing Dale Murray.

25 Inning Game: The next night on September 11th, he came to bat in the bottom of the 25th inning with the Mets having just given up the lead in the top of the inning. Mets pitcher Hak Webb attempted to pick off the Cardinals Bake McBride off first base, the throw was wild then catcher Ron Hodges' error led McBride to score. Pemberton collected his first MLB hit when he singled to center off Sonny Siebert.

On September 13th, he made his first start batting in the sixth position & playing first base at Shea Stadium in a 4-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs.
Pemberton would only start one more game going 1-4. 

On September 26th he pinch hit for Jerry Koosman in the 2nd inning after Koos had given up six runs. He was safe on an infield single back to the pitcher & collected his only RBI as Duffy Dyer crossed the plate.

Brock made seven pinch hit appearances going 3-7 that September. Overall, in eleven games he hit .182 with one RBI.

In 1975 Pemberton was back at AAA Tidewater, where he hit .297 second on the club to Mike Vail with 24 doubles & 56 RBIs. He got another September call up, playing in two games going 0-2 as a pinch hitter. 

In 1976 he hit .290 at AAA Tidewater, second to John Stearns. That December he was traded along with Leon Brown, to the St. Louis Cardinals for minor leaguer Ed Kurpiel. In 1977 he played at AA New Orleans batting .241. 

He returned as a Player/Manager with the 1980 Macon Peaches, which was team of cast-offs & free agents with no MLB team tied to them. It was the first year Macon had an A ball team since 1966 when the Braves came to Atlanta 60 miles away.

He will forever be remembered as one of those early 1970’s Mets yearbooks prospects of thefuture.

Retirement: He went on to coach & manage at the minor league level into the 1980’s.

Passing: Brock passed away in February 2016 at age 62 in Ardmore, Oklahoma.